San Diego State gets win swatted away, loses 68-67

San Diego State guard Chase Tapley (22) charges the basket for a layup only to have it blocked by Arizona guard Nick Johnson, far left, in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Diamond Head Classic Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012, in Honolulu. Arizona defeated San Diego State 68-67 to win the Diamond Head Classic. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)
— AP

San Diego State guard Chase Tapley (22) charges the basket for a layup only to have it blocked by Arizona guard Nick Johnson, far left, in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Diamond Head Classic Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012, in Honolulu. Arizona defeated San Diego State 68-67 to win the Diamond Head Classic. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)
/ AP

"It hurts," Fisher said. "It's hard when you have a chance to win a championship, have a shot to beat an undefeated team, and you don't quite get it done, and you think you're going to do it right until the very last play of the game. It hurts badly."

Arizona won despite shooting only 37 percent from the field, including 5-of-20 on 3-pointers, though Miller was more impressed that except for an early spell of turnovers to start the second half that put his team in a hole, they didn't make careless mistakes and gave themselves plenty of looks.

"I don't think we had a bad shooting night," Miller said. "I think we played a great defense."

After turning the ball over just three times in the first half, Arizona had two turnovers that helped the Aztecs go on an 8-0 run to start the second period for a 35-29 lead. Franklin got his first points of the game on a pair of free throws, Xavier Thames made a 3-pointer, and Tapley converted a three-point play off yet another Arizona turnover.

After a sluggish, defensive battle, the pace and quality of the game picked up the rest of the way.

The Wildcats called a timeout trailing 41-33, and then went on an 18-9 run over the next six minutes to regain the lead. Hill was always in the picture, with some great hustle by Brandon Ashley, who scored inside and converted a three-point play on quick ball movement. Arizona regained the lead on Hill's two free throws, and he made two more with just under six minutes remaining for a 60-58 Arizona lead.

The game was tied six more times the rest of the way.

Kevin Parrom scored 17 points for the Wildcats, including a 3-pointer from deep on the baseline with 2:16 remaining that answered a 3 by Tapley. Johnson finished with 11 points for Arizona.

Arizona never trailed in the opening half, but after building a 16-9 lead on Johnson's 3-pointer, it never had control. That was to be expected from two defensive-minded teams, which have held their opponents to 38 percent shooting this season.

The Wildcats shot 29 percent in the opening half. The Aztecs missed their first seven shots. It was spirited, and it was sloppy. There were three missed dunks and badly missed layups in transition as both teams looked out of control at times.

Fittingly, the game was decided by a defensive play.

"It was very intense," Johnson said. "They're the No. 17 team in the country. We knew they were a good team coming in. We knew we would have to give it our all and stay in the game plan and in the end, it came up big."